You're Worth It
by ChibiMoon921
Summary: One-shot. Takes place during the Pine Hollow timeline. Ben and Carole. Things with Ben are perfect for Carole. But when Cam shows up, what will Ben do?


**Author's Note:** One shot. Ben and Carole. Takes place between Pine Hollow # 16, _Track Record_, and Pine Hollow # 17, _Full Gallop._

**You're Worth It**

Carole Hanson tapped the stack of papers she held on the edge of the mahogany desk, straightening them into place. She sighed, eyeing the open paddock through the window. It was a beautiful January evening, and Carole absolutely hated the idea of being cooped up inside, away from the horses. But, business was business, and while Max was away, Carole and Ben were assigned to take care of some loose threads. And so, there she was, sorting through the enormous amount of papers that littered Max's office while Ben was in the paddock closest to the driveway, repairing the barbed wire rim of the pasture.

Carole bit her lip, blushing._ Ben_, she thought. She could still hardly believe things were going so well with him. They'd been dating for nearly two weeks, but it still felt like two minutes to Carole. Things with Ben were so wonderful, so comfortable...

_It makes me wonder how I ever could even__** think**__ that I was in love with Cam. _Carole thought, a sharp pain jabbing her chest as the name came into her head. She grimaced. _Cam._ About two months ago, when Carole thought that things with Ben would never work out, Cam, an old friend of hers, suddenly came back into her life, declaring that he was in love with her and sweeping her into a whirlwind romance.

Carole had been so happy...but it had all been shattered when she realized that all Cam wanted from her was a cheap thrill. He had lured her in all too quickly, with vows of love and devotion, just so he could get what he was after. And when Carole had refused, telling him she was uncomfortable...Cam broke up with her.

_And not only that_, she recalled, albeit bitterly, _it turns out he had another girlfriend all along. He just__** used **__me._ Carole shook her head abruptly, ashamed that she let herself fall into sadness over something that was over and done with. "Stop that!" she scolded herself aloud. "I've got Ben."

_Sweet, wonderful Ben_. she continued in her mind with a smile. _Ben genuinely cares about me. He would never force things on me or do anything to make me uncomfortable._ Carole smiled. "It's perfect."

* * *

Benjamin Marlow furrowed his brow with concentration as he clipped a portion of barbed wire from the large roll and carefully attached it to the edge of the fence. As the sharp barbs once again pierced his fingers, Ben uttered a curse and jammed his hand in his mouth to stifle the sting. "Stupid, stupid fence!" he hissed under his breath.

The sound of tires pulling up on the gravel driveway made Ben look up. He frowned. The slick black Jeep looked familiar, but he wasn't sure why...

He remembered all too quickly as the driver pulled to a stop and got out of the car. Ben's eyes narrowed. Cam Nelson was striding up the front path, a disgustingly confident smile upon his striking features.

Ben felt his muscles tense. _Cam._ What was _he_ doing at Pine Hollow? After he had broken Carole's heart, Ben was certain he'd never show his face around the stables again.

Cam slowed his steps when he reached the fence, his brown eyes sweeping over Ben. "Is Carole here?" he asked.

Ben set his jaw, regarding Cam coolly. "Yes, she is," he began, finally bringing his eyes level with Cam's, "but she doesn't want to see you."

Cam scowled. "Um, excuse me?" he spluttered, smiling in a patronizing fashion. "That's not your call. Who the heck _are_ you, anyway?" Cam shook his head, not bothering to wait for a reply. "Whatever." He started to move forward, but Ben stepped in his path.

"Dude," Cam snarled, "Get out of my way."

Ben narrowed his eyes. He wasn't about to move. Cam didn't intimidate him one bit. Not only did Ben have at least a good three inches on him, but he also knew guys like Cam. Since birth, they had everything handed to them on a silver platter, and thought the world owed them everything. Guys like Cam thought it was okay to hurt people whenever it suited them, never having to pay the consequences.

"I told you," Ben said slowly and evenly, with no doubt of the malice he felt towards Cam in his voice, "she doesn't want to see you. Get lost."

Cam shook his head. "What the--" he looked Ben over again. "I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"

Ben smirked, laughing mentally at Cam's attitude when Cam hadn't even bothered asking Ben's name before. "Marlow," he replied. "Ben Marlow."

Cam's eyes glinted with recognition at his name. "Oh, yeah. You're that jerk of a stablehand that Carole wouldn't shut up about while we were dating. Must of had quite a crush on you." He shrugged with a laugh. "Well, she never really had much taste."

Ben snorted, retorting, "Yeah. And you're that jerk who rushed Carole into a relationship, but when she wasn't ready to kick things into overdrive, just ditched her."

Cam didn't flinch at Ben's verbal assault. "So, I hear you two are a couple now, huh?" He clucked his tongue. "My, she's a fast worker. Though I'm not surprised. I mean, after losing me, she's bound to be heartbroken." When he saw Ben's scowl deepen, he continued, thoroughly enjoying himself, "Caught the hussie on the rebound, huh?"

Deep inside, Ben felt himself snap. With an angry growl, he launched his fist towards Cam, punching him square in the face. Cam grunted, stumbling backwards into the fence. Rubbing his jaw with a scowl, Cam grabbed Ben and hurled him to the ground.

Ben let out a small groan as he hit the roll of barbed wire. His head struck the sharp barbs, and he felt his forehead sting, but he took no notice; he was too busy planning his next move. The two teenage boys latched onto one another, each trying to outdo the others with punches.

* * *

Carole stopped in her work, frowning. She could have sworn she heard a loud thud outside. Could it have been one of the horses?

She peered out the window, and gasped when she saw Ben grappling with someone...and her eyes widened when she saw who it was. Cam.

_Ben and Cam are fighting!_ Forgetting all about the pile of paperwork she still had to sort, Carole raced outside.

* * *

Ben grabbed Cam by the collar. "Don't you _ever _talk about Carole like that again," he growled, his eyes glinting with rage, "You, of all people, have _no_ right!"

"Ben!"

Ben lifted his head and saw Carole racing towards them. Cam straightened himself, wiping the blood that stained his mouth with his sleeve.

Carole reached Ben's side. "Ben! What's going on?" She clutched his arm, her brown eyes filled with confusion and darting back and forth between the two. "Cam, what're you--"

Cam sneered. "I'm outta here," he muttered, turning his back on the pair and heading to his Jeep.

As he pulled away, Carole turned her eyes back to Ben. "Ben, what happened? Why was Cam..." she stopped mid-sentence when she realized that Ben's forehead was bleeding. "Ben!" she gasped, putting her arms around him, peering at his face, "Oh, my gosh! You're hurt!"

Ben kept his gaze carefully to the ground, complying but not responding when Carole led him into the stable. Once they were inside the office, Carole let go of him and pulled out the first aid kit. "Oh, Ben," Carole whispered, wincing as she touched his forehead softly with the tips of her fingers, "Why was Cam here? Why did you two start fighting?"

Ben swallowed hard, finally lifting his eyes to look at her. "He-he wanted to see you," Ben muttered, furrowing his dark brows. "I know how you feel about him, though, so I told him to leave. He wouldn't take no for an answer, though."

Carole bit her lip. "...And?" she prodded, knowing that there was more to the story. Ben couldn't have gotten into a fight with Cam just because of that.

Ben dropped his eyes for a moment. "Then...he started insulting you. So-so I lost it, and threw a punch at the guy."

Despite the severity of the situation, Carole felt herself smile. She was flattered that Ben would care so much to defend her honor. "Oh, Ben, that was really sweet of you. But, you shouldn't get into a fight over me. Look at your poor face! I'm--" Carole stammered, fumbling with the bandage as she clipped it over Ben's cut, "I'm not worth it."

Ben, who had been leaning against the large mahogany desk, stood up fast. "Yes, you _are_!" he said fiercely, his brown eyes blazing. Realizing he had spoken more harshly than he'd meant to, his eyes and voice both softened as he pulled her into his arms and repeated, "Yes, you are."

He took a deep breath before adding, so quietly that Carole had to strain to hear even though they were already just inches apart, "You _are_ that important, Carole...to me."

Carole felt her cheeks grow hot. "Ben..."

"And it's not just what Cam said," Ben added, gently pulling Carole closer to him, "I've been wanting to punch the guy's lights out for weeks. Just thinking about the way he had his slimy hands all over you that night, forcing himself on you, then breaking up with you when–I mean, what kind of jerk _does_ tha--" Ben's voice died in his throat when he realized all too late that he had said too much.

Carole's brown eyes had grown wide, confused, and a little sad. "What-what night are you talking about?"

He bit his lip as he averted her eyes, realizing he had been caught. There was no use denying it. He had to tell her now. "I-I was there that night," he began, looking at her and stammering as he tried to explain, "At Denise and Red's wedding reception. When Cam took you out to the stable. I-I don't know why I did it-" Ben said, running a hand through his hair, ashamed, "I think it was because of the intense, almost _hungry _way Cam was looking at you–or maybe how nervous and uncomfortable you seemed around him...I just got a bad vibe–so-so I followed you two out there. Just in case he tried to hurt you."

Carole's eyes widened. Instantly, her mind flashed back to that night. She still wondered why a light had been on in the stable when, supposedly, no one was there, or what those thuds that she had heard had been. And now she knew. Ben had been there, protecting her from Cam.

Ben's heart sank. Carole's silence said it all. He had stepped to far, and now she was angry with him. He had ruined everything. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, "I was wrong, I know. I just-I care about you, Carole, and I knew in my gut that Cam was bad news. I-I understand if you're mad--" His sentence was interrupted when Carole brought her lips to his. His mind went blank, and he automatically his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. Carole put her hand to his face, deepening the kiss.

When they pulled apart, she whispered, eyes shining, "Of course I'm not mad at you, Ben. I'm actually happy that you care so much about me that you would-that you would do something like that for me. That you would protect me like that."

Ben grinned, whispering in her ear, "Carole, I'd do anything for you."

Carole smiled. "I think you just proved that."

Ben chuckled, pulling Carole into another kiss. Reluctantly, he pulled away after a few moments. "Let's just hope that jerk Cam never shows his face around here again, or I'll have to give him a matching black eye." He muttered, only half-joking.

Carole laughed. "We don't ever have to worry about him again. You're my boyfriend now, and nothing's ever going to change that."

Ben smiled, pulling Carole into a tight hug as he lifted her off of the ground in a little twirl, causing her to squeal. Once she was back on the ground, he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Nothing." he agreed, before pulling Carole in for another kiss.

**The End!**


End file.
